Aiming to record consecutive league victories for the first time in 2024, Orlando City will lock horns with basement dwellers DC United at Inter&Co Stadium in MLS on Saturday night.
The Lions travelled to Canada last time out and returned following a narrow success over Toronto, whilst the Black and Red came out on the losing side of a five-goal thriller with FC Cincinnati.
Match preview
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Following a five-game winless run stretching across an entire month, Orlando have secured two wins from their last three MLS matches, with a narrow success over Toronto last time out bringing Saturday's hosts within striking distance of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
It appeared as if the Lions' jaunt to Canada would be fruitless when Haiti attacker Derrick Etienne fired Toronto into an early lead at BMO Field, but Martin Ojeda's second of the league term and an own goal from centre-back Nickseon Gomis sealed maximum points for Oscar Pareja's men.
After collecting six points from their last three contests, Orlando have moved up to 10th in the Eastern Conference table, behind ninth-placed Atlanta United on goal difference, meaning that the Lions still have a good chance of being involved in the post-season conversation.
With his proposed transfer to Championship side Blackburn Rovers collapsing at the final moment during the January transfer window, Duncan McGuire has done exceptionally well to put that setback behind him and get back to work at Inter&Co Stadium, with the 23-year-old netting seven goals in 18 MLS appearances to date.
The Lions have been woeful at their Miami base so far in 2024, winning twice and earning just nine points from 10 MLS fixtures at the Inter&Co Stadium, with only San Jose Earthquakes (seven) and Philadelphia Union (six) collecting fewer points in front of their respective home crowds.
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After falling short of the Eastern Conference playoffs by just three points during 2023, DC United have shown severe signs of regression as a team under the stewardship of Troy Lesesne in 2024, with Saturday's visitors suffering another defeat on Wednesday night, this time to second-placed Cincinnati.
Unlike a typical side who are struggling at the wrong end of the division, the Black and Red were able to cause Cincinnati serious issues, with Martin Rodriguez and Gabriel Pirani both breaching the net of Roman Celentano, but Pat Noonan's troops scored three times to secure maximum points.
In the midst of a 10-game winless run - during which they have collected only three points - DC United are occupying bottom spot in the Eastern Conference table, although Saturday's visitors are four points behind Atlanta in ninth, meaning that all hope for a positive season has not evaporated just yet.
Despite playing for one of the poorest outfits in MLS during 2024, former Aston Villa and Liverpool striker Christian Benteke is a serious contender in MLS' Golden Boot race, with the 45-time Belgium international netting on 14 occasions in 18 appearances, only two fewer strikes than current pacesetter Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake.
For all of their struggles this season, Lesesne's side have been a relatively tough nut to crack on their travels, drawing five of their 10 MLS away matches, but the Black and Red are rarely the ultimate victors, winning just once away from Audi Field.
Team News
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Orlando are without the services of goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar, who suffered a leg injury during the loss at New York City FC last Saturday.
The Lions are thankful that Peru were knocked out of the Copa America at the group stage, allowing first-choice stopper Pedro Gallese to return for the win over Toronto in midweek.
Michael Halliday remains in the Orlando medical room nursing a knee injury, so Iceland international Dagur Dan Thorhallsson has the right-back spot all to himself.
DC United are short of options at centre-back ahead of this weekend's clash, with Garrison Tubbs and Steven Birnbaum recovering from head and knee injuries respectively.
Lesesne also has limited personnel for his engine room due to the continued absences of midfield duo Jackson Hopkins and Russell Canouse.
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Smith; Araujo, Cartagena, Torres, Ojeda, Angulo; McGuire
DC United possible starting lineup:
Miller; Akinmboni, Bartlett, Peltola; Herrera, Ku-DiPietro, Klich, Stroud, Santos; Rodriguez, Benteke
We say: Orlando City 2-1 DC United
Orlando have struggled to find consistency throughout the campaign, although this weekend's visit of the Eastern Conference's bottom side represents a great chance for the Lions to secure back-to-back wins.
DC United are stumbling from one defeat to the next, and even with the return of Benteke, we believe that the Black and Red will slump to another loss on Saturday evening.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
